Chullin 86a

חולין פ״ו ע״א

Learn Chullin 86a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How רבי told רבי חייא to kill a bird without needing כיסוי הדם, and the משנה about שחיטה by a חרש, שוטה, or קטן, with רבי מאיר's reason for being lenient

Overview

The amud begins by finishing the story of רבי חייא's flax. רבי told him to kill a bird for its blood in a way that would not need כיסוי הדם. The גמרא explains why רב דימי's version ('צא טרוף') and רבין's version ('צא נחור') each mention only one method: each teaches a different חידוש in a 'לא מיבעיא' style. Next the גמרא asks how moths could harm רבי חייא's flax at all, since flax was protected in his merit. It answers that a צדיק's merit can help the world but not himself, like רבי חנינא בן דוסא. Then a new משנה rules on שחיטה done by a חרש, שוטה, or קטן, for כיסוי הדם and for אותו ואת בנו. The גמרא concludes that the חכמים argue with רבי מאיר on both laws. It then asks why רבי מאיר is lenient: רבי אמי says it is because most of their actions are done wrong. The גמרא challenges why a majority is needed, since רבי מאיר worries even about a minority joined to a חזקה, and it begins proving this from the משנה of a child found next to dough. That proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ResolutionWhy רב דימי's version says only 'Go and make it a טרפה'
2. QuestionWhy does רבין's version not say 'Go and make it a טרפה'?
3. RejectionBlocking an easy answer: רבי holds an unfit שחיטה is not שחיטה
4. ResolutionWhy רבין's version says 'tear loose': tearing is not a bird's שחיטה
5. ChallengeCould moths really have harmed רבי חייא's flax?
6. ResolutionTheir merit helps the world, not themselves
7. ProofProof from חנינא בן דוסא living on carobs
8. Statementמשנה: Covering the blood after שחיטה by a חרש, שוטה, or קטן
9. Statementמשנה: The same people and אותו ואת בנו
10. ChallengeWhy do חכמים agree in the first case but argue in the second?
11. ResolutionCovering the blood could make people think the meat is kosher
12. ChallengeThe same worry should apply to the offspring case
13. ResolutionPeople will assume the owner did not need the meat
14. ChallengeCovering the blood could look like cleaning the yard
15. ResolutionCases where the cleaning excuse does not work
16. ChallengeThe same problem returns for someone who asks about the offspring
17. ResolutionThe חכמים argue on both laws
18. QuestionWhat is רבי מאיר's reason for being lenient?
19. ResponseFor רבי מאיר, their שחיטה is plain נבלה
20. ResponseWhy they are presumed to fail: most of their actions are done wrong
21. ChallengeWhy does רבי מאיר need a majority at all?
22. ProofProof: the child found next to the dough
23. Proofרבי מאיר joins the minority to the dough's purity